Self-locking seal.



W. A. BRAMBERRY.

SELF LOCKING SEAL.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 13,1914.

1,128,83fi Patented Jan.5,1915.

THE NORRIS PETERS C04. PH07D-LITHQ, WASHINGwN. D. C.

WILLIAM ALONZO BRAMBERRY, 0F NORFOLK, VIRGINIA.

SELF-LOCKING SEAL.

masses.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 5, 1915.

Application filed February 13, 1914. Serial No. 818,511.

To all whom it may; concern Be it known that 1, WILLIAM ALoNZoBRAMBERRY, a citizen of the United States, residing at Norfolk, in thecounty of Norfolk and State of Virginia, have invented certain new anduseful Improvements in Self-Locking Seals, (Case 13;) and I do herebydeclare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of theinvention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which itappertains to make and use the same.

My present invention relates to improvements in self-locking seals, andit is especially intended to provide a cheap and simple seal for railwaycars which may be'readily attached, and broken when it is desired toremove same, but which cannot be tampered with, without showing theresult of such tampering.

While the invention is especially intended for use in sealing up freightcars on railroads, it may be applied to sealing up any wagon, package,or other article, where-it is desired to keep the same unopened, and

to attract the attention of inspectors when the seal has been tamperedwith.

My invention is especially intended to provide certain improvements onthe seal shown in my Patent No. 1038485, granted September 10, 1912 andentitled improvements in self-locking seals.

My invention will be understood by reference to the accompanyingdrawings, in which the same parts are indicated by the same referencesymbols throughout the several views.

Figure 1 is a plan view of the metal blank before it is bent up to forma complete seal, and showing the said blank in the fiat condition; Fig.2 is a central section along the line 22 of Fig. 1, looking in thedirection of the arrows, but showing the strip bent up to form the seal;Fig. 3 shows the complete seal in the final position as in ordinary use;Fig. 4 is a detail showing one end of the seal before the bending hasbeen completed; Fig. 5 is a perspective View showing the other end ofthe seal from that shown in Fig. 4:; Fig. 6 is a similar view to Fig. 2,showing the interlocking ends of the seal in the locked position; andFig. 7 shows a modification in which there is an additional depressionand locking lug.

Referring first to Figs. 1-6, 1 represents a blank of sheet metal,preferably tin, or the like, which is provided with notched portions 17for convenience in bending, and notched portions having deeper notches 3and 16 to weakenthe seal so as to provide a position line of fractureclose up to the box end, should the seal be tampered with by breakingand attempting to reinsert either end in the box. By providing thesenotched portions, making the breaking point of either end of the strap 1close up to the boxed end, this leaves no shelf or holding for thebroken strap. One end of this blank is reduced in diameter and slottedas at O to form two tongues 4, which are bent over to provide thelocking hooks 5, the bend being along the line 66 of Fig. 1. The plateis provided with beveled notches 7, not only for convenience of locatingthe proper line 66 for bending; but mainly to rovide a tapered throat toserve as a guide for the insertion of the tongue 11 in the slot 0, andthus facilitates the locking of the seal. The other end of the blank 1terminates in a hook 9, which is bent over along the line 10-1O adiacentto the part 8, and this hook 9 is provided with an ear 11, whichprojects down into the recess 13 in the body of the plate; the part 8being bent over along the line 12-12, and the sides 14 and 15 being bentin to form a box at the rear end of the blank, as shown in Fig. 2. Thisear 11 projecting into the recess 13. the sides of the box bein closedand fastened together, will lock the tongue 9 against being withdrawnshould any one attem t to violate the seal by cutting along the line1010, when the seal is locked. The seal being bent in the manner shownin Fig. 2, in order to lock the same the free end is turned upward, andthe two hooks 5 are slipped into the box, the slot 0, and the bevelednotches 7, permitting the easy guiding of the tongues 4 into said boxand past the ear 11. The seal is shown in the locked position in Figs. 3and 6.

In the modification shown in Fig. 7, I provide aboss 20 stamped out ofone side of the plate, adapted to fit in a recess 21 when the plate isin the folded-over locked position. These furnish an additional holdingmeans when the seal is applied; also provide for a position line offracture along the line 33 or 16-16, and the bosses 20 and 21 beingpressed up in the opposite direction from the recess 13, when the sealis in use, serve as an additional means to prevent the insertion of thefore end of the strip into the box when the seal is broken, thuspreventing the concealment of the ruptured condition of the strip.

' It will be-noted that I provide a closed box atone end of the seal,which cannot be tampered with by inserting tools from the side thereof,and into this box the free end of the blank slips, causing the hooks 5and 9 to interlock, and rendering it impossible to disengage the sameWithout breaking the seal. Moreover when the seal is broken, it will beimpossible to insert the free end of the broken part into the box, andthus conceal the fact that the seal has been broken. WVhile'I preferablyprovide a recess 13 for the ear 11, it will be obvious that such recessmay be dispensed with if desired.

It will be obvious that various modifications might be made in theherein described seal, and the construction, combination and arrangementof parts Which could be used without departing from the spirit of myinvention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure byLetters Patent of the United States is 1. A locking seal comprising ablank strip of metal constructed at one'end to provide a closed box, oneWall of said box having an 'ear provided with a curved outer edgeprojecting downward into the interior thereof, with a curved indentationin the opposite Wall of said box adapted to receive said ear, one end of'saidblank being bent into said box to form an engaging hook therein,and the opposite end of said blank being slotted, and provided withengaging hooks adapted to' slip into said box past said ear, and toengage the hook in the box, substantially as described.

2. A locking seal comprising a blank strip of metal constructed at oneend to provide a closed box, one Wall ofsaid box having an earprojecting downward into the interior thereof, with a recess in theopposite wall of said box adapted to receive said ear, one end of saidblank being bent into said box to form an engaging hook therein, and theopposite end of said blank being slotted longitudinally with a beveledthroat at the outer end of the slot, and provided with engaging hooksadapted to slip into said box past said ear, and to engage the hook inthe box, substantially as described.

3. A locking seal comprising a blank strip of metal constructed at oneend to provide a closed box, one wall of said box having an earprojecting downward into the interior thereof, one end of said blankbeing bent into said box to form an engaging hook therein, and theopposite end of said blank being slotted longitudinally with a beveledthroat at the outer end of the slot, and provided with engaging hooksadapted to slip into said box past said ear, and to engage the hook inthe box, substantially as described.

4. A locking seal comprising a blank strip of metal constructed at oneend to provide a closed box, one wall of said box having an earprojecting downward into the interior thereof, with a recess in theopposite wall of said box adapted to receive said ea r, one end of saidblank being bent into said box to form an engaging hook therein, and theopposite end of said blank being slotted and provided with engaginghooks adapted to slip into said box past said ear, and to engage thehook in the box, the said strip having a recess therein, and a bossthereon engaging said recess, said recess and boss be ing exterior tosaid closed box.

In testimony whereof, I aliix my signature, in presence of twowitnesses.

WILLIAM ALONZO BRAMBERRY.

Witnesses:

C. V. FLnMIxc, E. E. MACKENZIE.

Copies 01 this patent may be obtained tor five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C.

